A Drop in the Ocean strives to improve the everyday lives of people forced to flee by providing direct and immediate support both inside and outside refugee camps in Greece and other countries.
Although 2020 and 2021 have been challenging years, we have distributed necessary items such as food, clothing, and hygiene items, and organised activities to support psychosocial well-being and build a sense of community and belonging.
Our work in Greece
Greece is one of the main countries of entry for large numbers of displaced persons seeking refuge in Europe. Since 2015, when A Drop in the Ocean was founded, thousands of displaced persons have arrived in the country and the humanitarian needs remain extensive.
We are currently present on the mainland and the islands. On the mainland, we work inside the refugee camps Skaramagas in Athens and Nea Kavala in Northern Greece. On the islands, we work inside and outside the refugee camps Kara Tepe on Lesvos and Vathy on Samos.
Since the start of the year, we have:
- Distributed 53 393 clothing items across all four locations.
- Distributed 163 490 diapers and wipes across all four locations.
- Washed around 5000 kg of clothing every week for residents in Kara Tepe refugee camp.
- Had 15 755 visits to our activities and non-formal education classes across all four locations.
New activities and locations
We have also established a presence in Bosnia and Herzegovina and taken the first steps to support displaced persons in Lebanon.
Bosnia and Herzegovina is considered a transit country that many travel through on their way to the EU and other European countries. The capacity of the camps is stretched and many refugees and other migrants, including unaccompanied children and families, are forced to sleep in abandoned buildings or makeshift tents, without access to safe and dignified shelter, food, water, sanitation, electricity, and heating.
Lebanon, on the other hand, hosts the largest number of refugees per capita worldwide. There are an estimated 1.5 million Syrian refugees, more than 200 000 Palestinian refugees, and 16 000 refugees from other countries in Lebanon, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Since the start of the year, we have:
- Officially registered as a non-governmental organisation (NGO) in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- Opened an office in Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- Collaborated with the Red Cross on a distribution of 1000 sleeping bags in the Lipa refugee camp close to the city of Bihac in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- Organised weekly computer classes and distributions for residents in Ušivac refugee camp outside of Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- Distributed 130 food packages to displaced persons in the Arsal village near the Syrian border in Lebanon.
Will you help us?
Our support is needed. Through our presence, we contribute to safeguard human rights and improve the everyday life of people forced to flee. We do not receive any public funding and are dependent on private donations and support. As a small but flexible organisation, we assess the situation on each location and act according to demand. When supporting A Drop in the Ocean, you can be sure that your contribution reaches the people who need it the most.